Mobile stand



April 4, i967 .1.J. PFEIFFER ET Al. 3,312,432

MOBILE STAND .4o 4A I r42 BY A T TOR/VE YS n pril 4, 1967 J..|. PFEIFFERETAL 3,312,432

MOBILE STAND Filed May 20, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FHL- 4 ATTORNEYS April4, i967 .1.J. PFi-:lFFl-:R ET A1. 3,312,432

MOBILE STAND 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 20, 1965 JOSEPH J. PFElFFERHAROLD M. PETERSON I NVENTORS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,312,432MOBILE STAND Joseph J. Pfeiffer and Harold M. Peterson, both ofKirkland, Wash., assignors to ReDeMan Corporation, Kirkv land, Wash., acorporation of Washington Filed May 20, 1965, Ser. No. 457,267 11Claims. (Cl. 248-13) This invention relates to a mobile base, andparticularly one providing a mounting foot for hydraulic hoist or otherlike or suitable extensible standard serving individually or inconjunction withy another like-mounted standard as a support -for a workplatform.

For its principal object the invention aims to provide a mobile basecomprised of a plurality of legs which are each arranged to extendradially from the standard at circumferentially spaced intervals of acircle having the standard tas its center, with the length of the legssuch as to insure stability for the extended standard, and characterizedin that the legs are of a jointed nature engineered so that when thebase is not in use the articulating sections can be folded into acompass sufiiciently compact to permit storage in a small space.

The invention has the further important object of providing a mobilebase of the described nature having two sets of two diametricallyopposite legs and characterized in that the two sets may be shifted oneset relative to the other set, into selected rotatively adjustedpositions and releasably locked in said adjusted positions.

The invention has the yet additional object of providing a mobile 'baseof simple and inexpensive construction, one which is light in weight andyet provides a secure footing for the column, one the legs of which maybe easily and quickly folded or extended, and one which will give longand trouble-free service.

The foregoing and still more particular objects and advantages in viewwill appear and be understood in the course of the following descriptionand claims, the invention consisting in the novel construction and inthe adaptation and combination of parts hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE l is a perspective view illustrating a base constructed to embodylpreferred teachings of the present invent-ion, shown with the legsextended and applied to a standard comprised of a multi-stage hydraulichoist. For simplicity in illustration a work platform or the likecarried upon the head end of the hoist is deleted from the view.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view to illustrate one of the legsand drawn to an enlarged scale, parts being broken away and shown insection to detail a stabilizing foot with which each leg is equipped.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are detail fragmentary vertical sectional views drawn to ayet larger scale on lines 3 3 and 4 4, respectively, of FIG. l.

FIG.y 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on line 5 5 of FIG.3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view detailing jointed connectingarms employed to lock the leg sets in rotati'vely adjusted positions,the scale corresponding to that of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a large-scale fragmentary elevational view detailing themounting assembly by which the legs of the base are attached to thestandard.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view on line 8 8 of FIG. 7; and

FIGS. 9 l0 and ll are schematic top plan views of the base and standardshowing (l) the legs extended and the connecting arms placed in anin-line position, (2) t-he legs folded for storage, and (3) the inboardlegs located for working close-in to a wall.

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or similar to that illustrated and described in pending apl plication,Ser. No. 424,687, filed Ian. ll, 1965 jointly by ourselves and Leo J.Notenboom. Such hoist provides telescoping sections including acylindrical lower section, and there is provided in the exterior surfaceof said lower section two sets of vertically spaced circumferentialgrooves adapted to receive snap-:rings 21. 'One set of these snap-ringsis located in close proximity to the lower end of the section. The otherset occupies a level elevated a rather considerable distance therefrom.

These sets of snap-rings each hold a mounting assembly in place upon thestan-dard. Provided by this mounting assembly to fit between thesnap-rings is a collar 22 providing a flange at one end and having theother end threaded. On each collar two mounting rings 23 and 24 arejournaled for turning motion between the shoulder 28 (FIG. 7) providedby the fiange and a lock-type keeper ring 25 which threads on saidthreaded end. The mounting rings lie one above the other, and atdiametrically opposite sides of each ring there is presented arespective one of two radially extending eyed lugs denoted by 26 in theinstance of the upper ring and by 27 in the instance of the lower ring.Each ring has its lugs over-hanging the other ring so that the eyes ofthe four lugs occupy the same horizontal plane. Each ring can takeapproximately a half turn relative to the other ring.

Each of the four legs of the mobile base extends radially from thestandard and has upper and lower arms. Forked terminal fittings 30 and31 upon the inner ends of the armsy connect with the eyed lugs by pins32. The arms converge outwardly and are jointed, lbeing each comprisedof two articulating sections, as 33-34 and '3S-36, and the outer ends oft-he outer sections 34 and 36 are each rigidly joined to the casteredframe 37 for an outboard stand 38. The cas-ter Wheel is denoted by 40.The stand comprises a jack-screw which is received through a verticalbore of the frame and works in the threads of a nut 41 held againstendwise or rotary motion in a side pocket of the frame traversed by saidstand. The stand has a beari-ng foot 42 swivelled upon its bottom endand has an adjusting wheel 43 fixed to the head end.

For each radial leg a respective vertical hinge pin 44 produces thearticulation between the two upper arm sections 33 and 34 and betweenthe two lower arm sections 35 and 36, the prescribed swing lbeing abouta coinciding vertical axis paralleling the axial line of the standard20. The sections are or may each com-prise a rod of tubular stock and atthe hinged ends these rods are press-fitted or otherwise securelysocketed in butt fittings. Planar bearing faces disposed normal to thehinge axis are provided for each pair of butt fittings, namely fittings45 and 46 for the articulating upper arm sections and fittings 47 and 48for the articulating lower arm sections. A tie-bar 49 extends from thebutt fitting 45 to the terminal fitting 31. l

A tubular strut 50 surrounds the hinge pin between the two butt fittings46 and 47, with its ends taking a journal fit in sockets providedthereby. An upper branch 51 and a lower branch 52 are made integral withthe strut and extend laterally therefrom normal or approximately normalto the strut. Acting in complement, two oppositely directed pairs ofsaid branches articulate one with the other and produce an adjustablefolding linkage between the struts 50l of two adjacent legs. Buttfittings 53-54 and 55-56, with a hinge pin 57, produce the articulation.The adjustable setting is accomplished by forming the facing surfaces ofthe butt fittings with mating teeth 70 (see FIG. 4). The teeth are heldin mesh against the yielding force of a sp-ring 7-1 by the action of alevered cam 58 pivoted by a pin 59` upon the head end of the hin-ge pin57. A tubularspreader 60 which surrounds the hinge pin counters thethrust imposed rby the cam. A brace 61-rigidi`1es one of the twobranches. The other branch permits a moderate degree of verticaldeflection as a compensation to the endwise motion of the butt fittingsas angular adjustments are made. Like the strut 50, said spreaderreceives a journal fit in sockets provided in t-his instance by thefitting 54 and the fitting 55. The cam has. an over-center at to holdthe catch against accidental dislodgment. When the linkage is in anin-line condition the inner sectionsl of the concerned two legs arecaused to lie at an angularity of 90.

A levered cam 63 much t-he same as the cam 58 is pivoted at 64 to thehead end of the hinge pin 44 for releasably locking the articulatingsections of the leg in selected angular positions. The lockinginstrument in this instanceis comprised of a radial side dog 65 carriedby the lever arm 66 for swing movement into and out of a seylected oneof a number of open-top side pockets 67 placed at circumferentiallyspaced intervals about the perimeter of the 'butt fitting 46. The dog isheld against rotation relative to the butt fitting 45 by catching in aside notch 68 of such fitting.

The manner in which the legs may be set and locked at differentangularities with the articulating sections folded or extended will 'beunderstood from an inspection of FIGS. 9, and 1l showing the componentsof the base in three representative positions. FIG. 11 is indicative ofa setting permitting the standard to be brought close into a wall.

It is believed that the invention will have been clearly understood fromthe foregoing detailed description of our now-preferred illustratedembodiment. Changes in the details of construction may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention and it is accordinglyour intention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexedclaims be given the broadest interpretation to which the employedlanguage fairly admits.

What we claim is: Y

1. In combination with a standard, a mobile base therefor comprising:two sets of rings mounted upon the standard for rotating about acoinciding vertical axis, each set independently of the other, with eachset comprising a lower ring located adjacent the bottom of the standardand an upper ring spaced a `substantial distance above said lower ring,sets of legs for each set of rings extending radially from the rings atequidistantly spaced intervals of the circumference, each of the legswhich are related to one set of rings occupying the space between two.adjacent legs related to the other set of rings, each leg having anupper arm and a lower arm jointed in each instance to provide an innersection which is attached to the respective ring and an outer sectionwhich is hingedly connected to the inner section for adjusting swingmotion -about a vertical axis paralleling the rotary axis of the rings,the hinge axes for said articulating sections of the upper and lowerarms of a leg coinciding a respective ground-engaging foot attached tothe outer ends of thetwo outer arm sections of each leg, means forsetting the outer arm sections of each leg in a selected angularlyadjusted position relative to the inner arm sections, a linkingconnection between the hinge of each of said legs which are related toone set of rings and the hinge of an adjacent leg related to the otherset of rings, said linking connection comprising two meeting linkshingedly joined for adjusting swing motion about a vertical axisparalleling the hinge axes of the linked legs, and means fori` settingsaid hingedly connected links in a selectedangularly adjusted position.

2. Structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the groundengaging feet eachinclude a frame having a caster wheel mounted thereon.

3. Structure as claimed in claim 2 having a respective jack meanscarried by each frame for movement between an elevated inoperativeposition and a lowered operating position whereat the weight supportedby the frame is transferred from the caster wheel to the jack means.

4. Structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the inner sections of theupper and lower -arms diverage toward the standard and have a tie-barextending from the outer end of the upper of said inner sections to theinner end of the lower of said inner sections.

5. Structure as claimed in claim 4in which the outer sections of theupper and lower arms converge toward the frame.

6. Structure as claimed in claim 1, the joined ends of the two sectionsof the upper arm of each leg each carrying a respective one of twocomplementary butt fittings, the joined ends of the two sections of thelower arm of each leg likewise carrying a respective one of twocomplementary butt fittings, the hinge connection being provided by ahinge pin traversing said butt fittings.

7. Structure as claimed in claim 6 in which a tubular strut extends as aspreader between said sets of complementary butt fittings in surroundingrelation to the hinge pin and has an upper and a lower branch rigid withthe strut and constituting one of said two meeting hingedly joinedlinks, the hinge connection between said joined links comprising a hingepin traversing complementary butt fittings carried upon said meetingends of said branches.

8. Structure as claimed in claim 6, means being provided holding saidupper set of complementary butt f1ttings separated from the lower set,the hinge pin projecting upwardly above the upper set of butt fittings,the means for setting the outer and inner sections of the legs inselected angularly adjusted positions comprising a respective leverpivoted to said projecting end of the related hinge pin for swingmovement about a horizontal axis and carrying a dog arranged to lodge ina side pocket formed in the perimeter of one upper butt fitting and aregistering one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart sidepockets formed in the perimeter of the other upper butt fitting.

9. Structure as claimed in claim 1, the two links each providing rigidlyconnected upper and lower branches, the hinge connection between thelinks comprising a hinge pin traversing complementary sets of buttfittings one set carried upon meeting ends of two upper branches and theother set carried upon meeting ends of two lower branches, the pinprojecting above said upper set of butt fittings, at least the upper.set of butt fittings providing opposing toothed jaws, a spring beingprovided yieldingly spreading said jaws, the means for setting thejoined links in angularly adjusted relation acting in opposition to saidspring and comprising a levered cam pivoted to said projecting end ofthe hinge pin for swing motion about a horizontal axis.

10. `Structure -as claimed in claim 1, said rings being mounted inpairs, with each pair comprising one ring from one and one ring fromt-he other of the two sets of rings, the mounting for each paircompris-ing a respective collar held by snap-rings against endwisedisplacement upon the standard, the rings being journaled upon thecollar between a shoulder provided at one end of the collar and a keeperring threaded upon the other end, the two rings of each pair being eachformed at diametrically opposite sides with a respective eyed lug eachattached by a horizontal pin to the forked inner end of an inner sectionof a radially extending leg.

11. yIn combination with a standard, a mobile base therefor comprising:two sets of rings mounted upon the standard for rotation about acoinciding vertical axis, each set independently of the other, with eachset comprising a lower ring located adjacent the bottom of the standardand an upper ring spaced a substantial distance above said lower ring,sets of legs for each set of rings extending radially from the rings atequidistantly spaced intervals of the circumference, each of the legswhich are related to one set of rings occupying the space between twoadjacent legs related to the other set of rings, each leg being jointedand comprising an inner section which is attached top and bottom to therelated set of rings and an outer section which is hingedly connected tothe inner section for adjusting swing motion about a vertical axisparalleling the rotary axis of the rings, a

respective ground-engaging foot attached to the outer end of the outersection of each leg, a linking connection between the hinge of each ofsaid legs which are related to one set of rings and the hinge of anadjacent leg related to the other set of rings, said linking connectioncomprising two links hingedly joined for adjusting swing motion about avert-ical axis paralleling the hinge axis of the linked legs, a meansfor setting the two links of References Cited by the Examiner UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 859,781 7/1907 Roebuck 248-188 X 2,474,250 6/ 1949 Howard248--1 2,646,956 7/1953 Cadwell et al. 248-170 3,208,698 9/1965Samhammer et al. 248-13 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

JOHN PET-O, Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A STANDARD, A MOBILE BASE THEREFOR COMPRISING:TWO SETS OF RINGS MOUNTED UPON THE STANDARD FOR ROTATING ABOUT ACOINCIDING VERTICAL AXIS, EACH SET INDEPENDENTLY OF THE OTHER, WITH EACHSET COMPRISING A LOWER RING LOCATED ADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF THE STANDARDAND AN UPPER RING SPACED A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE ABOVE SAID LOWER RING,SETS OF LEGS FOR EACH SET OF RINGS EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM THE RINGS ATEQUIDISTANTLY SPACED INTERVALS OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE, EACH OF THE LEGSWHICH ARE RELATED TO ONE SET OF RINGS OCCUPYING THE SPACE BETWEEN TWOADJACENT LEGS RELATED TO THE OTHER SET OF RINGS, EACH LEG HAVING ANUPPER ARM AND A LOWER ARM JOINTED IN EACH INSTANCE TO PROVIDE AN INNERSECTION WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE RESPECTIVE RING AND AN OUTER SECTIONWHICH IS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE INNER SECTION FOR ADJUSTING SWINGMOTION ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS PARALLELING THE ROTARY AXIS OF THE RINGS,THE HINGE AXES FOR SAID ARTICULATING SECTIONS OF THE UPPER AND LOWERARMS OF A LEG COINCIDING A RESPECTIVE GROUND-ENGAGING FOOT ATTACHED TOTHE OUTER ENDS OF THE TWO OUTER ARM SECTIONS OF EACH LEG, MEANS FORSETTING THE OUTER ARM SECTIONS OF EACH LEG IN A SELECTED ANGULARLYADJUSTED POSITION RELATIVE TO THE INNER ARM SECTIONS, A LINKINGCONNECTION BETWEEN THE HINGE OF EACH OF SAID LEGS WHICH ARE RELATED TOONE SET OF RINGS AND THE HINGE OF AN ADJACENT LEG RELATED TO THE OTHERSET OF RINGS, SAID LINKING CONNECTION COMPRISING TWO MEETING LINKSHINGEDLY JOINED FOR ADJUSTING SWING MOTION ABOUT A VERTICAL AXISPARALLELING THE HINGE AXES OF THE LINKED LEGS, AND MEANS FOR SETTINGSAID HINGEDLY CONNECTED LINKS IN A SELECTED ANGULARLY ADJUSTED POSITION.